1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an instrument panel in which a tearable portion for inflating an air bag that cannot be seen from the outside is formed from the side of a core member disposed in front of a main unit of an air bag apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of an instrument panel of the prior art is shown in FIG. 14 (see Japanese patent publication (Kokai) No. HEI6-25059).
As shown in FIG. 14, the prior art example is configured so that a foamed layer 13 and a skin 14 are laminated in this sequence on a core member 12, an opening portion 12a for inflating an air bag is formed in the core member 12, and an air bag lid member 15 is incorporated so as to close the opening portion 12a. In the foamed layer 13, a notch 5 is formed along the peripheral edge of the opening portion 12a. The notch 5 is formed in the following manner. As shown in FIG. 14C, a molding process is conducted by using a molding die (not shown) in which a projection mold member 16 is incorporated in a core of the molding die, thereby forming the notch 5 along the peripheral edge of the opening portion 12a. In this way, an instrument panel 10 having the notch 5 that cannot be seen from the outside is formed.
When an air bag (not shown) operates and the inflation pressure acts on the air bag lid member 15, therefore, the notch 5 is torn to enable the air bag to inflate.
In the prior art example, the shape of the notch 5 that cannot be seen from the outside is formed by previously setting the shape of the notch 5 in the molding die. When the inflation state of the air bag is not appropriate, therefore, it is necessary to disassemble the molding die and then correct the shape of the projection mold member 16. Consequently, the prior art example has a problem in that the correction requires a prolonged time period and many manhours, thereby increasing the production cost.